Cnotes 2017 Canadian Football League Picks/Trends/News thru Grey Cup !!

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HAMILTON — The Toronto Argonauts completed an impressive comeback in their 43-35 overtime victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. Quarterback Ricky Ray led the Argos to their first victory at Tim Hortons Field with 330 passing yards and three touchdown passes on 25 completions.

Receiver DeVier Posey also had a big game for the Double Blue, leading his team with 104 yards receiving and two touchdowns, including the game winning score. And while running back James Wilder Jr. did not have another 100-yard performance, the runner contributed a solid effort with 81 total yards and two key two-point converts.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats looked strong in all three phases of the game, with C.J. Gable showing exactly why he is the Ticats’ starting running back. Gable finished the game with an incredible 157 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the loss.

The Ticats had two receivers go over 100 yards, with Brandon Banks recording 100 yards and a score on three catches, and Jalen Saunders racking up 121 receiving yards on five catches.

The Argos clinched the season series against Hamilton with the win, and have improved their playoff chances in the East Division with three straight victories.

The Ticats came out flying right away on offence, finding the end zone on their very first passing play of the game. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli found receiver Brandon Banks in space with a short slant pass, and the speedy Banks took care of the rest. Banks took off down the right side of the field behind a couple key blocks for the 58-yard touchdown, giving Hamilton the early 7-0 lead.

Quarterback Ricky Ray got things moving through the air for the Argos on their second drive, taking advantage of the added attention given to red-hot running back James Wilder Jr. But the Ticats’ defence was ready, and a halfback blitz from defensive back Demond Washington caught Ray off guard and knocked the ball loose. Linebacker Simoni Lawrence recovered the fumble for Hamilton.

The Ticats were unable to capitalize on the turnover, however, and the Argos’ special teams stepped up with the first big play of the night for Toronto. Return specialist Martese Jackson caught a punt at the Toronto 18-yard line and took it the distance, outrunning the Ticats’ punt unit for a 92-yard return touchdown. The score was the third punt return touchdown for Jackson this season.

Ticats receiver Andy Fantuz made his season debut against the Argos, having recovered from the knee injury he suffered last season. The veteran pass catcher registered his first reception since October of last season, shaking off the rust as he took a hit over the middle from Argos’ defensive back Matt Black. Fantuz finished the game with three catches.

C.J. Gable got the start at running back for Hamilton, despite Alex Green’s big debut for the Ticats last week against the BC Lions. Gable looked impressive in the first quarter, racking up 41 rushing yards on his first four carries.

Hamilton’s rushing attack appeared to find the end zone at the start of the second quarter, but Masoli had two separate touchdown runs called back. Masoli was ruled down at the half-yard line on the first play, and a holding penalty was called against the Ticats on the second play.

The Ticats were forced to settle for a field goal as a result, with kicker Sergio Castillo making the 35-yard field goal to give Hamilton the 10-7 lead.

Ray was under duress for much of the first half, facing constant pressure every time he dropped back to throw the ball. The Ticats’ pass rush overwhelmed Toronto’s offensive line early on, registering three sacks in the first half alone.

Wilder made his first big play of the game for the Argos with a leaping 18-yard catch near the sidelines. Wilder then broke multiple tackles on a five yard run to set the Toronto offence up in scoring position.

Ray made the most of the field position, hitting receiver Armanti Edwards for the 15-yard touchdown on a beautiful corner route in the left side of the end zone. Wilder gave Ray time to throw on the scoring play by picking up the pass rush in the backfield, giving Toronto the 14-10 lead near the end of the first half.

Gable continued to move the ball on the ground for the Ticats after the Toronto touchdown, averaging nine yards per carry in the first half. Gable’s 16-yard run with under two minutes remaining set up a 19-yard Castillo field goal, bringing the score to 14-13.

The Ticats’ defence stood strong in the final minutes of the half, forcing Toronto to punt the ball. Masoli then put together an efficient drive to take Hamilton down the field in a hurry. Masoli completed big passes to receiver Jalen Saunders for 17 and 30 yard gains, and then found Banks for a 21-yard catch near the Argos’ goal line.

Masoli finished off the impressive drive by hooking up with receiver Luke Tasker for the three-yard touchdown. Tasker also caught the ensuing two-point convert, giving Hamilton the 21-14 lead. The Ticats’ offence went 77 yards in 58 seconds to regain the lead before half.

Hamilton’s defence continued to impress after the half. Ray attempted to find receiver S.J. Green down the field, but the ball was thrown into double coverage and Ticats defensive back Courtney Stephen came down with the interception. But Toronto challenged the call, and it was ruled that the Ticats committed pass interference on the play.

Hamilton got the ball on offence after forcing another Argos punt, but Toronto’s defence stepped up and forced a fumble on Masoli. Argos defensive lineman Justin Tuggle stripped the ball from the Hamilton quarterback, and linebacker Marcus Ball recovered.

The Argos made the most of the turnover, and backup quarterback Cody Fajardo ran the ball in for the one-yard touchdown to tie the game at 21-21.

Gable and the Ticats’ rushing attack continued to win the battle at the line of scrimmage, however, and the talented runner took a carry for 46 yards near the end of the third quarter. Gable found a big hole on the left side and brought the ball all the way to the Toronto three-yard line. Gable score on the following play, finishing off the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown to give Hamilton the 28-21 lead.

After getting the ball back with strong defensive play, the Ticats’ offence made their way down the field on another scoring drive. Masoli made a big throw to receiver Jalen Saunders for a 38-yard gain, and Banks drew a pass interference call a couple plays later. Gable did the rest after that, finding a hole for another three-yard rushing score to give Hamilton a 14-point lead with just over ten minutes remaining.

The Argos rebounded with a clutch 47-yard field goal from kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, bringing the score to 35-24. Toronto’s defence then forced a pivotal two and out, containing Masoli and the Ticats’ productive running game near the end of the half.

Ray put together a solid drive for the Argos, connecting with fullback Declan Cross for 26 yards, and Green for 17 yards. The Argos added another Hajrullahu field goal as result, bringing the score to 35-27 with under five minutes to play.

The Argos got the ball back on offence and Ray led a comeback drive in the final minute. Receiver DeVier Posey played a major role on the drive, making a crucial third down catch for 31 yards. Posey capped off the drive with a 25-yard receiving touchdown, and Wilder ran in the two-point convert to send the game to overtime.

Toronto received the ball in overtime, and Ray wasted no time moving the ball into scoring position. The veteran passer hooked up with receiver Armanti Edwards for 22 yards before finding Posey in the end zone for the game winning 13-yard touchdown pass. Wilder added another two-point convert on the ground to seal the 43-35 victory.

Week 16 will see the Hamilton Tiger-Cats travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers next Friday night, while the Toronto Argonauts will look to make it four straight when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at home next Saturday.

EDMONTON — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers put in a solid road effort on Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium, where they handed the hometown Edmonton Eskimos their sixth-straight loss via a 28-19 decision.

The Bombers (10-3) simply made enough key plays to earn the win against Edmonton (7-6); some, like Darvin Adams’s one-handed touchdown grab in the fourth quarter, were spectacular while many others were more workmanlike.

Quarterback Matt Nichols was a steady 24-for-32 under centre for Winnipeg, throwing for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while the Winnipeg defence was stifling at various points on the night. Bombers defensive back Chris Randle secured the win for the visitors with a late pick-six.

Edmonton receiver Brandon Zylstra had a stellar 152-yard night in the losing cause for the tumbling Eskimos.

Both offences struggled in the first quarter, as the Esks and Bombers combined for just 86 net yards.

Winnipeg had a pair of opportunities to open the scoring, but kicker Justin Medlock uncharacteristically missed from 54 (wide left) and 40 yards (wide right). Both were returned out of the end zone by the Eskimos to keep the game scoreless.

The Edmonton defence came up with a number of popping tackles in the second quarter; Aaron Grymes forced a fumble with a rocking hit on Winnipeg’s Julian Feoli-Gudino, then Euclid Cummings blasted Nichols for a sack.

After review, however, Cummings was flagged for a 15-yard head-contact penalty which moved the Bombers into field goal range. Once there, Medlock sent a 32-yard field-goal attempt wide left and through the back of the end zone for a single.

Newly-signed Esks kicker Swayze Waters then clanked a 51-yard field-goal attempt off the upright, continuing a rough night for both teams’ kickers.

Winnipeg finally found the end zone with just 13 seconds left in the first half, when Nichols found Clarence Denmark for a six-yard touchdown connection. Medlock drilled the convert to send the Bombers to the locker room with an 8-0 lead.

Edmonton came out of the gate flying in the second half, as Reilly led the Esks on an eight-play, 67-yard touchdown drive capped by a snazzy five-yard touchdown catch by Calvin McCarty. Reilly’s ensuing two-point convert attempt then fell incomplete.

Nichols and the Bombers offence responded a few possessions later with a two-yard Andrew Harris touchdown run; Medlock’s convert gave the visitors a 15-6 lead.

Waters cut the Esks’ deficit to a single score late in the third quarter with a 31-yard field goal — his first as an Eskimo.

The Bombers then opened up an 11-point lead on a ridiculous one-handed touchdown catch from Darvin Adams; Medlock’s convert hit the upright and stayed out, leaving Winnipeg’s lead at 21-9.

Waters again cut into the visitors’ lead with a 42-yard field goal, and with 11 minutes and change remaining, Edmonton trailed 21-12.

Following a Winnipeg two-and-out, Reilly then threaded the needle to Derel Walker for a picture-perfect, 21-yard touchdown connection. The subsequent Waters convert slimmed the Bombers lead to just two points.

A Chris Randle pick-six with just under three minutes remaining sealed the win for Winnipeg — Medlock’s convert rounded out the scoring at 28-19.

Winnipeg linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox paced all Bombers defenders with nine tackles in the win, while linebacker Adam Konar produced a game-high ten tackles in the loss for the Eskimos.

The loss now runs Edmonton’s losing streak to six games; head coach Jason Maas’s team is now unthinkably close to .500 given their 7-0 start to the season. On the flip side: Mike O’Shea’s Bombers have not trailed at any point in their last six wins.

Edmonton will look to halt its slide next week in Montreal, where they will visit the struggling Alouettes (3-11) on Monday afternoon (Oct. 9, 2:00 p.m. ET); Winnipeg will host the red-hot Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-10) on Friday Night Football (Oct. 6, 8:30 p.m. ET).

Calgary (12-1-1) is not taking their foot off the gas, as they steamrolled cellar-dwelling Montreal (3-11) in a home game. The Stamps have rattled off 10 consecutive victories after the 59-11 win, and they're an impressive 8-1-1 ATS during the span. Defense has been a huge key to their success, as they have allowed 18 or fewer points in eight of the past 10 outings.

The Alouettes are going in a completely opposite direction, as they have dropped seven in a row. They're also a dismal 0-7 ATS during the stretch, averaging just 14.3 PPG. Their defense has also gone south, allowing 29 or more points in each game during the skid.

Toronto (7-7) is playing their best football of the season, winning and covering each of their past three outings. They're averaging 36.7 PPG during the win streak while giving up 26.7 PPG. As such, the 'over' has also connected in each of the past three. They'll be looking for a little redemption against Saskatchewan (7-6). The Roughriders topped the Argos 38-27 on July 29 back in Regina.

Team Betting Notes

-- Ottawa (5-9-1) is in the middle of a season-worst scoring slump, averaging just 13.0 PPG over the past two outings. The defense of the RedBlacks has been holding its own, giving up just 18.6 PPG over the past seven games, As such, total bettors should continue to thump the 'under' on Ottawa. The under is 5-0 over the past five outings, and 10-1-2 across the past 13.

-- It's been a tale of two seasons for Edmonton (7-6). They started out 7-0 SU through Aug. 10, but they dropped a 33-26 game in Winnipeg (10-3) back on Aug. 17 to start a six-game slide. The Eskimos are also a dismal 1-5 ATS during the span. They'll be in action next Monday in Montreal, looking to snap their slide against the worst team in the CFL.

-- Hamilton (3-10) was unable to get a win against Toronto despite scoring a season-high 35 points. The 'over' result was the first for the Tiger-Cats since Aug. 4 in Edmonton, as the 'under' was 5-0-1 over the past six.

-- The Blue Bombers continue to be cover kings, hitting the number for the third consecutive game and seventh time in the past eight outings. Winnipeg has stepped up on defense, allowing just 14.0 PPG over the past two for a pair of under results, the first time the under has hit in back-to-back games this season. The over was 9-2 in the first 11 games for Winnipeg.

Saskatchewan pushed its overall record above .500 with last Friday’s 18-17 victory against Ottawa, but it failed to cover the 2 ˝ points on the road. In Friday’s other action, Calgary kept things rolling with a lopsided 59-11 rout of Montreal as a heavy 17-point favorite at home.

Saturday’s doubleheader of CFL games started with Toronto outlasting Hamilton 43-35 in overtime as a three-point road favorite to take firm control of the lead in the East Division. Winnipeg ended Week 15 with a 28-19 victory against Edmonton as a three-point road underdog to hand the fading Eskimos their sixth straight-up loss in a row.

The Tiger-Cats showed some signs of life with three SU wins in their previous four games before last week’s loss to Toronto. They have also gone 3-2 against the spread during this same span of games. The one big takeaway from last week’s loss was the continued strong play of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who replaced an ineffective Zach Collaros earlier in the season. He connected on 18-of-32 passing attempts last week for 288 yards and two scores while adding another 32 yards on the ground.

Winnipeg would have to be considered the biggest threat to Calgary in the West. The Blue Bombers have won eight of their last nine games SU while going a profitable 7-1 ATS in their last eight outings. Matt Nichols completed 24 of his 32 passing attempts for 238 yards in the win at Edmonton and his two passing touchdowns in that game gives him a league-high 26 scoring throws on the year.

Betting Trends

-- Hamilton has covered the spread in four of its last five road games against the Blue Bombers. The total has stayed UNDER in the last four meetings, including Winnipeg’s 39-12 victory against the Tiger-Cats on Aug. 12 as a two-point road favorite. The betting line closed at 59 points.

The Roughriders continue to make a strong push towards a return to the postseason with five SU victories in their last seven games while going 4-3 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in their last three games behind a defense that has only allowed a combined 51 points including a tough 15-9 loss to Calgary two weeks ago as 5 ˝-point home underdogs.

Toronto is in the driver seat in the East at .500 on the year after putting together a modest three-game winning streak both SU and ATS. Ricky Ray completed 65.8 percent of his 38 passing attempts in last week’s win for 330 yards and three scores. He is currently second in the CFL in total passing yards (4, 079) and he is tied for fourth on the list in passing touchdowns with 21. The Argonauts have averaged 37.6 points over their last three games.

Betting Trends

-- Saskatchewan has gone 4-1 ATS in its last five road games against Toronto and the total has gone OVER in seven of the last 10 meetings overall. The Roughriders drew first blood in the season series on July 29 with a 38-27 victory as 2 ˝-point home favorites with the total going OVER 54 points.

Ottawa’s hopes of defending last season’s Grey Cup title are starting to fade a bit with just one SU victory in its last four games. Going back to an Aug. 10 loss to Edmonton, the total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in the RedBlacks’ last eight outings. Ryan Lindley continues to get the call at quarterback with Trevor Harris still on the mend from an earlier shoulder injury. Harris remains questionable for this Saturday night.

The Lions know they need a strong push down the stretch coming off last week’s bye after losing five of their last six games SU while going 1-4-1 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in six of their last seven contests. Jonathon Jennings is back under center with Travis Lulay done for the season after losing his starting job early in the year. He has thrown for 2,232 yards and six touchdowns against a costly 12 interceptions.

Betting Trends

-- Ottawa has a slight 3-2 edge both SU and ATS in the last five meetings following this year’s 31-24 victory on Aug. 26 at home in a game that closed as a PICK. The total also ended as a PICK on a betting line of 55 points.

Edmonton is another CFL team that has headed in the wrong direction following a promising start. A SU seven-game winning streak has been replaced a six-game slide. The Eskimos have failed to cover in five of those six losses and the total has gone OVER in four of the games. Mike Reilly added another 311 passing yards to his CFL-high 4,260 yards on the year and he is now third on the list in touchdown throws with 22. The problem has been an Edmonton defense that has allowed an average of 35.5 points in those six losses.

The Alouettes have not won a game (SU or ATS) since mid-August and with an average of 14.3 points a game during this prolonged seven-game slide, there is a good chance this losing streak lasts another four games. Montreal is dead-last in the CFL in scoring and its once stout defense is currently allowing an average of 30.4 points a game, which is the second-most points after Hamilton.

Betting Trends

-- The Eskimos have covered in six of the last seven meetings and the total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in nine of the last 12 games between the two. Edmonton beat the Alouettes 23-19 in Week 2 as a nine-point home favorite.

HAMILTON (3 - 10) at WINNIPEG (10 - 3) - 10/6/2017, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in all games this season.
WINNIPEG is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
WINNIPEG is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) in games played on turf this season.
WINNIPEG is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
HAMILTON is 43-23 ATS (+17.7 Units) in road games when playing on a Friday since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 3-2 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 3-2 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

SASKATCHEWAN (7 - 6) at TORONTO (7 - 7) - 10/7/2017, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SASKATCHEWAN is 131-97 ATS (+24.3 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
TORONTO is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in October games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-2 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

OTTAWA (5 - 9 - 1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (6 - 7) - 10/7/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
OTTAWA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in a road game where the total is between 49.5 and 52 over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record after 9 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 3-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

EDMONTON (7 - 6) at MONTREAL (3 - 11) - 10/9/2017, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
EDMONTON is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) in home games in October games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 4-1 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 5-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Hamilton (3-10) @ Winnipeg (10-3)— Blue Bombers won last three series games; they won 39-12 (-2) in Hamilton back in August, when Ti-Cats were still winless. Hamilton won four of its last five visits here— under is 10-3 in last 13 series games. Ti-Cats are 3-2 in their last five games after an 0-8 start; they covered their last three road games. Under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Hamilton is 3-3 vs spread if game stays under, 1-4-1 in game goes over. Winnipeg is 8-1 in its last nine games, 4-1 vs spread as a home favorite. Over is 9-4 in their games this season.

Saskatchewan (7-6) @ Toronto (7-7)— Roughriders won five of last seven games after a 2-4 start; they won three of their last four road games, are 2-3 as road underdogs- their last three games stayed under. Argonauts are 3-0 since their bye, scoring 34-33-43 points; they’re 5-2 at home this season, 3-1 as a home favorite- their last three games went over. Toronto is 5-3 in last eight series games, but Riders won last two, beating Argos 38-27 (-2.5) in Regina in late July— teams split last four games played here. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games.

Ottawa (5-9-1) @ BC Lions (6-7)— Lions lost five of last six games, after a 5-2 start; they’re 3-3 at home, 2-3 as a home favorite. Under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games, 4-2 in their home tilts. Ottawa lost three of last four games; they’re 3-4 on road, 3-2 as a road underdog- their last five games stayed under the total. Ottawa (-1) won first meeting this year 31-24; Lions are 4-3 overall in series, winning two of three played here. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games.

Edmonton (7-6) @ Montreal (3-11)— Montreal lost its last seven games (0-7 vs spread); they’re in tank, with losses in last month by 28-23-18-48 points. Three of their last four games went over the total. Eskimos lost their last six games (1-5 vs spread) after a 7-0 start- over is 7-3 in their last ten games. Edmonton (-9) beat the Alouettes 23-19 at home back in Week 2; they’ve won seven games in row over Montreal, winning last three visits here, by 10-3-20 points. Over is 6-3 in last nine series games.

8:30 PMHAMILTON vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Hamilton's last 7 games when playing Winnipeg
Hamilton is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Winnipeg is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Winnipeg's last 21 games

Saturday, October 7

4:00 PMSASKATCHEWAN vs. TORONTO
Saskatchewan is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Saskatchewan is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing Saskatchewan

7:00 PMOTTAWA vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Ottawa is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against British Columbia
Ottawa is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing British Columbia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 7 games when playing Ottawa
British Columbia is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home

Monday, October 9

2:00 PMEDMONTON vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Edmonton's last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Edmonton's last 9 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Montreal's last 9 games when playing Edmonton
Montreal is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games

MONTREAL – In a battle of two teams looking to snap losing skids and make moves in the standings, the Edmonton Eskimos beat the Montreal Alouettes 42-24 to break a six game losing streak.

The loss officially knocked the Als out of the playoff race and sent the team to their eight straight loss.

Drew Willy threw for 193 yards and two picks while Mike Reilly countered with 286 passing yards, 43 rushing yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception. CJ Gable rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown in his Esks debut while Brandon Zylstra caught seven passes for 201 yards and a major.

It was a rainy affair that caused missed catches and fumbles throughout the game, including four by the Esks in the first quarter alone.

Both teams struggled to hold on to the football in their opening possessions because of the wet conditions. Nic Boulay blocked a Hugh O’Neill punt that was recovered by Chip Cox and the Als. Willy connected with TJ Graham to bring the ball just outside the 10-yard line before Tyrell Sutton powered through for the opening touchdown. Montreal led 6-0 after failing the two-point convert.

Acquired earlier in the week in a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Gable’s first possession ended up in a fumble that was recovered by Brandon Stewart who took it all the way back to the endzone for another Alouette touchdown. Sutton was shut out on two-point convert attempt as Montreal went up 12-0.

Stefan Logan’s punt return brought the Als past midfield as the Larks looked to increase their lead. Graham’s grab and Sutton’s rush brought a fresh set of downs. Boris Bede notched a field goal to add another three points on the scoreboard.

Three catches on an Esks drive by Zylstra kept the ball moving. A roughing the passer penalty put Edmonton just outside the goal line where Gable responded with a rushing touchdown to cut the deficit to 15-7 with 54 seconds left in the first quarter.

The momentum kept swinging in the Esks favour as they recovered a Samuel Giguere fumble on the kick return to give the ball right back to Reilly and the offence. The quarterback ran 11 yards for a fresh set of downs as the clock switched to the second quarter. Swayze Waters booted a field goal as the Als lead shrunk to 15-10.

It didn’t take long for the Als to respond with a 41-yard rush by Sutton that cut through the Esks defence. Bede kicked a 31-yard field goal to put the Als back up 18-10.

A 56-yard grab by Zylstra put the Esks in instant scoring position and they would take advantage. Reilly’s third down dive moved the chains for Gable to record his second touchdown of the game off a shuttle pass and made the score 18-17, a deficit of one for Edmonton.

Reilly found a wide open Zylstra over the middle for a 45-yard gain. A pair of rushes by Gable and sneaks by Reilly kept the next drive alive as the Esks took their first lead of the game when Zylstra hauled in a 29-yard touchdown grab. Waters missed the point after kick as Edmonton went up 23-18 just before halftime.

Working with under a minute remaining, a 16-yard catch by BJ Cunningham was followed by Ernest Jackson’s grab that moved the chains downfield. Bede kicked a field goal as time expired to trail 23-21 heading into the locker room.

As the close game opened the second half, both teams to a few possessions to regain their feel. With Reilly ooking again for his favourite target of the game in Zylstra, Stewart recorded his second turnover of the game, this one an interception at midfield. Bede kicked another field goal as the Als regained the lead, 24-23.

Edmonton immediately responded with receptions from Zylstra and Walker to move into the red zone. The Als defence shut the door and the Esks had to settle for another field goal but still took the lead back at 26-24.

The Als continued to push as the fourth quarter opened, using Sutton to get double digit rushes and pushing their way downfield. Just as Montreal approached scoring territory, Willy’s pass was tipped and intercepted by Da’Quan Bowers to end the threat but they failed to capitalize with any more points.

Montreal went back to what worked, letting Sutton carve his way through for first downs. Entering Eskimo territory, Willy was picked off again, this time by Chris Edwards, who took it 70 yards back to the house for a pick-six. That grew the Edmonton lead to 33-24 midway through the quarter.

Going back to Sutton proved costly for the Als as he fumbled the ball near midfield in the comeback attempt. Briefly replacing Reilly in the final frame, James Franklin gave the ball to the workhorse Gable to use some of the clock. Franklin found Duke Williams for a 25-yard touchdown strike as the lead grew to 39-24 after the missed point after attempt.

Waters booted a 17-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in the game to seal the victory for the Esks.

This was Edmonton’s ninth straight win over the Alouettes.

Next week, the Eskimos host the Toronto Argonauts while the Als are on the bye week.

For the second consecutive weekend road teams dominated, going 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS over the span. In Week 16, it was a clean sweep, as the road teams went 4-0 SU/ATS, with two of the four games decided by 17 or more points.

Perhaps the most surprising result on the board was the win by Hamilton (4-10) over the previously red hot Winnipeg (10-4). The Tiger-Cats opened the season 0-8 SU/2-6 ATS, but they have rattled off victories in four of the past six outings while going 4-2 ATS. The exacted revenge on the Blue Bombers for a 39-12 setback on Aug. 12 at Tim Horton's Stadium, and even at six games below .500 the Ti-Cats are smack dab in the middle of the playoff chase in the awful East Division. Crazy.

Edmonton (8-6) finally slapped the brakes on their freefall, snapping a six-game losing streak against doormat Montreal (3-12), 42-24. The Eskimos opened the season 7-0 SU. but they had lost six in a row dating back to Aug. 10. The win and cover also snapped a 1-5 ATS skid for the Esks.
Team Betting Notes

-- Ottawa (6-9-1) picked up an important win, besting the rested BC Lions (6-8) in Vancouver. Despite the bye week, the Lions were unable to snap their three-game 0-3 SU/ATS skid. They have also dropped six of the past seven outings while going 1-6 ATS after a 4-1 SU start.

-- The 17-loss for the Blue Bombers against the Ti-Cats was shocking, as they entered 3-0 SU/ATS over the past three outings, while going 8-1 over their past nine outings. The 13 points were their fewest since Week 2 when they managed just 10 against Calgary (12-1-1). The Bombers will look to bounce back againstthe Lions. Winnipeg lost a 45-42 shootout in Vancouver back on July 21.

-- Toronto (7-8) continue to be a difficult team to figure. They looked like they had it going in the right direction with a 3-0 SU/ATS mark over their three games entering Week 16, but they fell at home to Saskatchewan (8-6) by a 27-24 count. The 'under' result for the Argos also snapped a three-game 'over' run.

-- The Roughriders have won consecutive games for just the second time this season, and defense has been a big reason for their turnaround lately. They have allowed just 18.8 PPG over the past four outings, all 'under' results. Their offense is doing barely enough during the span, posting just 18.0 PPG over the past three contests.

Road underdogs were the big winners this past weekend in the CFL. Hamilton got things started on Friday night with a stunning 30-13 victory against Winnipeg as a 12-point road underdog. Saturday’s action got underway with Saskatchewan pulling off a 27-24 road victory against Toronto as a slight one-point underdog and the day ended with Ottawa getting past British Columbia 30-25 as a four-point underdog on the road.

The Stampeders are coming off a well-deserved bye week. They ran their current SU winning streak to 10 games after dismantling Montreal 59-11 in Week 15 as heavy 17-point favorites at home. They have gone a highly profitable 8-1-1 against the spread during this run with the total staying UNDER five of the last seven contests. Calgary is averaging 33.1 points per game while holding opponents to just 17.3 PPG.

Hamilton’s stunning upset against Winnipeg was led by Jeramiah Masoli throwing the ball and Brandon Banks catching it. Masoli completed an impressive 81.8 percent of his 33 passing attempts for 338 yards and two touchdowns. Banks came down with six receptions for 104 yards and a score. The Tiger-Cats ended the game with 484 yards of total offense.
Betting Trends

-- Calgary won the first meeting this season 60-1 as a 13-point home favorite to extend its winning streak ATS to four games. The total went OVER 55 points after staying UNDER in the previous nine meetings.

Ottawa’s win last week combined with Toronto’s loss has the RedBlacks in the thick of the East Division title race. They have now covered in six of their last eight games with the total staying UNDER or ending as a PUSH in seven of those contests. Ottawa got a huge effort from Trevor Harris in Saturday’s victory with 380 yards passing and three passing touchdowns. He is now third in the CFL in passing yards (4,104) and second in touchdown throws (26).

The Roughriders helped their postseason chances with a pair of road wins against Ottawa and Toronto in their last two games. They beat the RedBlacks 18-17 two weeks ago as 2 ˝-point road favorites. In the win against the Argonauts, Brandon Bridge took the majority of the snaps at quarterback in place of Kevin Glenn and completed 20-of-28 attempts for 292 yards and two scores.
Betting Trends

-- With the previous victory against Ottawa in Week 15, the Roughriders are 5-2 SU in the last seven meetings. Ottawa still holds the slight 4-3 edge ATS and the total has gone OVER in five of the seven games.

BC is last in the West Division at 6-8, but still very much alive for a crossover spot in the playoffs given current the records in the East Division standings. The Lions have not played with any kind of consistency since early Augusts with just one SU victory in their last seven games while going a costly 1-5-1 ATS. Jonathon Jennings did turn in one of his more productive outings last week with 375 yards passing and three touchdown throws.

Last week’s loss to Hamilton could have come at a steep cost with quarterback Matt Nichols leaving that game with an injury to his throwing hand. His status for this Saturday remains up in the air. Backup Dominique Davis connected on nine of his 14 passing attempts for 84 yards in relief. Nichols is fourth in the CFL in passing and he leads the league in touchdown passes with 27.
Betting Trends

-- BC won the first meeting this season 45-42 as a four-point home favorite. The home team has won four of the last six meetings SU, but the Blue Bombers have covered ATS in the last six games in this West Division tilt. The total has gone OVER in the last five games.

Toronto’s recent three-game winning streak both SU and ATS came to an end with the loss to Saskatchewan last week, but veteran quarterback Ricky Ray continued to put up some big numbers with 341 yards passing and two scoring strikes in the losing effort. James Wilder led an effective running game with 72 yards rushing on 13 carries as part of the top two playmakers for an Argonauts’ offense that is averaging 25.7 points per game.

The Eskimos may have resurrected their season with Monday’s win and they actually remain in position to still lock up the No. 2 seed in the West if they can finish the year on a strong note and get some help closing the gap with Winnipeg. Mike Reilly continues to lead the CFL in passing yards with 4,546 and he added 286 yards to that total against Montreal. He left the game in the fourth quarter will a lower body injury, but remains listed as probable for Saturday.
Betting Trends

-- Toronto took the series opener 34-26 on Sept. 26 as a four-point home underdog, but Edmonton still has a 5-2 edge ATS in the last seven meetings. The total has gone OVER in the last four meetings.

Things I’m looking for this weekend……
13) 49ers are playing on road for third week in row; since 1997, underdogs are 23-34-1 vs spread if they’re on road for the 3rd week in a row.

12) LSU is honoring the 2007 national champs Saturday night, which means Les Miles will be in the house. Maybe if they ask him really nice, he’ll come back and coach the Bayou Bengals, who already have a 37-7 loss at Miss State and a home loss to Troy this season.

11) Dolphins are 2-2, despite scoring three offensive TD’s in four games; their OL coach being fired for alleged drug use, and their having played one home game so far. Miami visits Atlanta this week, a Falcon team coming off a bye— Falcons are 6-2 after their last eight byes.

10) TCU is the last unbeaten team in the Big X; Kansas State covered 9 of its last 11 tries as a home underdog, but they’re coming off an OT loss to Texas.

9) Giants lost 3 of their top 4 WR’s to injury last week, then suspended one of their best DB’s for four weeks after a sideline confrontation with the coach LW. Giants are a double digit underdog in Denver this week; an 0-6 start would have people calling for more heads to roll.

8) Coming off of wins over USC/Oregon, Washington State has a trap game in Berkeley, where the Golden Bears are 8-16 vs spread in last 24 games as a home underdog.

7) Chiefs are rolling at 5-0, but they lost twice to Pittsburgh LY. Roethlisberger is coming off one of the worst games of his career (5 INT’s vs Jaguars). Can Steelers bounce back here?

6) Last three Oklahoma-Texas games were all decided by 7 or less points, with Longhorns 4-0 vs spread in last four series games. Texas State Fair is the backdrop for this historic rivalry, with Sooners coming off a loss to Iowa State. when they were favored by 31 points.

5) It is Week 6 and Bills-Patriots-Jets are all tied atop AFC East, at 3-2. Buffalo has the week off, so winning of Patriot-Jet game is atop AFC East by himself. Jets won their last three games, but can their offense put up points against a struggling New England defense?

4) San Diego State is 6-0 and Boise State is in the rare situation of being a road underdog in a Mountain West game. Broncos are 37-18 vs spread in last 55 road games, but they were favored in vast majority of those games. Aztecs are 29-13-1 vs spread in their last 43 conference games.

3) Cleveland Browns passed on Deshaun Watson not once, but twice in LY’s draft; you think he remembers (undoubtedly, he does)? Texans scored 124 points in their last three games. Browns were held to 18 or less points in four of their five games.

2) Florida State is 1-6 for the first time since 1976, when I was a senior in HS and Bobby Bowden was in his first year as the Seminoles’ coach. FSU lost to Miami last week for the first time in eight years— can they win here and get their season jumpstarted?

1) Minnesota is 14-5 vs spread in its last 19 home games they beat Packers in Green Bay’s first visits to the Vikings’ new dome LY. Packers are playing their third dome game in six weeks to start the season; they’re 8-3 vs spread in their last 11 games.

CALGARY (12 - 1 - 1) at HAMILTON (4 - 10) - 10/13/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins over the last 2 seasons.
HAMILTON is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games when playing on a Friday over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-1 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 5-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

OTTAWA (6 - 9 - 1) at SASKATCHEWAN (8 - 6) - 10/13/2017, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
OTTAWA is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games this season.
OTTAWA is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road lined games this season.
OTTAWA is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in a road game where the total is between 49.5 and 52 over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.
SASKATCHEWAN is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) in home games in October games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-2 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

BRITISH COLUMBIA (6 - 8) at WINNIPEG (10 - 4) - 10/14/2017, 4:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 6-0 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

TORONTO (7 - 8) at EDMONTON (8 - 6) - 10/14/2017, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in October games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 9 or more games over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 52 over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in a home game where the total is between 52.5 and 56 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 3-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 3-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Calgary (12-1-1) @ Hamilton (4-10)— Calgary (-13) waxed the Ti-Cats 60-1 back on July 29, but now June Jones coaches Hamilton- they’re 4-2 in last six games after an 0-8 start, with both losses by 8 points. Hamilton is 4-0 vs spread as a double digit underdog this year- five of their last six games stayed under. Stampeders won their last ten games (9-1 vs spread); they’re 4-3 vs spread as a road favorite. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Calgary won 10 games in a row vs Hamilton, winning last four visits here, by 11-24-10-3 points.

Ottawa (6-9-1) @ Saskatchewan (8-6)— Roughriders won six of last eight games, are 3-0 as a home favorite this year- favorites covered five of their six home games. Riders (-3) won 18-17 in Ottawa two weeks ago, outscoring RedBlacks 11-0 in 4th quarter. Saskatchewan won last three series games; underdogs covered 3 of last 4 series games. Over is 5-2 in this series. Ottawa is 2-3 in its last five games; they’re 4-2 as road underdogs this year. Five of last six RedBlack games stayed under the total. This is fourth road game in last five weeks for Ottawa.

BCLions (6-8) @ Winnipeg (10-4)— Blue Bombers covered last six series games, last five of which were decided by 3 or less points. Last five series games went over total. Lions lost last two visits here, 23-15/37-35; they beat Winnipeg 45-42 (-4) in first meeting 45-42 this year, but BC lost six of last seven games overall, losing last four home games by 11-33-7-14 points. Bombers are 8-2 in last ten games, but lost as a 12-point home favorite to Hamilton LW. Winnipeg is 4-2 as a home favorite this season.

Toronto (7-8) @ Edmonton (8-6)— Argonauts (+4) upset Edmonton 34-26 at home three weeks ago; last time they swept season series from Eskimos was 2006. Over is 11-2 in last 13 series games. Toronto lost last three visits to Edmonton, by 14-23-24 points. Argos won three of last four games; they’re 2-5 on road, 1-4 as a road underdog, with losses by 8-12-12-16-7 points. Edmonton snapped 6-game skid with win over woeful Montreal LW; Eskimos lost their last three home games; they’re 1-5 as home favorites. Over is 8-3 in last 11 Eskimos games, 3-1 in last four Argonaut games.

7:00 PMCALGARY vs. HAMILTON
Calgary is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Hamilton
Calgary is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Hamilton's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Hamilton's last 24 games at home

10:00 PMOTTAWA vs. SASKATCHEWAN
Ottawa is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Saskatchewan's last 9 games when playing Ottawa
Saskatchewan is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Ottawa

Saturday, October 14

4:00 PMBRITISH COLUMBIA vs. WINNIPEG
British Columbia is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
British Columbia is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Winnipeg is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Winnipeg's last 22 games

7:00 PMTORONTO vs. EDMONTON
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Edmonton
Toronto is 6-16 ATS in its last 22 games
Edmonton is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Edmonton's last 10 games when playing Toronto

HAMILTON — It hardly resembled the dominance of their 59-point win back in July but the Calgary Stampeders scrapped out a 28-25 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a defensive battle at Tim Hortons Field Friday night.

A 17-yard Rene Paredes field goal – set up by a pass interference penalty on Hamilton – with zeros on the clock helped lift Calgary to a victory that was tough-sledding throughout.

With the win, Calgary is one step closer to hosting their second consecutive Western Final – the win Friday combined with a Winnipeg loss Saturday will clinch the West Division.

As for the Tiger-Cats, despite the loss, Hamilton still has an outside chance of making the playoffs in the East but will have to do so by leapfrogging Ottawa as there will be a crossover from the West Division.

The last time these clubs met, the Stampeders scored early and often in a lopsided 60-1 tally. They would once again race to an early lead in this one with special teams coming up with a big play to set the tone out of the gate.

Following Hamilton’s first possession, newcomer K/P Kenny Allen set up to punt but had his boot clocked by RB Terry Williams. The loose ball was scooped up at the two yard line by FB William Langlais who tumbled into the endzone for the score. The Sherbrooke product’s major, combined with a single point on the previous drive gave the Stamps an early 8-0 lead.

The ever-precise Calgary offence sputtered a bit in the first quarter as they tried to stretch the field with three different deep routes falling just short.

The defence did their part when the second quarter began when CB Ciante Evans picked off a Masoli pass and took it down to the Hamilton 39-yard line but the Stamps were forced to come away with a Rene Paredes field goal from 38 yards out.

With the Hamilton defence hanging in tough, their offence started to find their rhythm after getting great field position from KR Willie Quinn. Masoli connected with receivers Jalen Saunders, Luke Tasker and Shamawd Chambers to help set up a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Alex Green. The drive lasted just over six minutes and cut into the Stampeders lead which was now at 11-6 after a missed two-point convert.

With momentum on their side and the defence giving Mitchell problems, Masoli’s next possession was set up inside the Calgary 25-yard line – aided by a 22-yard Rob Maver punt and 25 yards in Stampeder penalties. The Ticats quarterback promptly found Tasker on a crossing route for a 21-yard gain before punching it himself from a yard out to give the Ticats a 12-11 lead.

Held silent for the majority of the first half, Mitchell looked to answer with halftime looming. First, he found WR Marken Michel over the middle on a pair of plays to get the Stamps deep inside Hamilton territory but once again settled for a Paredes field goal.

Halftime would arrive with Calgary clutching a 14-12 lead.

When the third quarter began, the Ticats seemed poised to build momentum after DB Don Unamba returned a Marquay McDaniel fumble down to the Calgary 12-yard line but the Ticats turned the ball right back – on downs – when Masoli lined up in shotgun on third-and-one and threw an errant pass to Tasker in the flat.

The result of the turnover however, was field position on the Calgary side of half once they got the ball back and a completion to WR Brandon Banks helped set up an Allen field goal from 26 yards out to give Hamilton 15-14 lead.

Banks was coming off a pair of 100-yard games as he turns the corner on what was a slow first half of the season.

The only success the Stamps offence seemed to have heading into the fourth was over the top and when Mitchell needed it most, he went to his veteran in McDaniel. The former all-star made a pair of receptions in traffic over the middle to set up a 36-yard Paredes boot to restore the Stampeders two-point lead 17-15.

The field goals kept on coming, as the Ticats drove down the field to put up another one from 27 yards out to retake the one-point advantage.

The Stamps scrimmaged from their own 35 and once again, Mitchell leaned on McDaniel for a 35-yard gain on a crosser. That reception helped open up the ground game which had been relatively silent for most of the evening as Williams took a speed sweep 20 yards into Hamilton territory.

Those two big plays helped the Stampeders finally break the ice because with 4:36 remaining, the Stampeders posted their first major. Flushed out of the pocket, Mitchell rolled right and heaved a ball to the front of the endzone where Kemar Jorden out-jumped his defender and came down with a highlight-reel touchdown.

Jorden’s touchdown – and ensuing two-point conversion – not only gave Calgary a 25-18 lead but highlighted his return to the lineup after being out of the lineup since July.

The Ticats looked to send the game to OT and on the strength of a 14-yard gain from Green, got into Stamps territory. Masoli then threw a strike to Saunders to put the ‘Cats at the Calgary 4-yard line but a pitch to was fumbled and recovered by Green at the Stamps 12. But a pass interference call put the Cats at the one and they tied the game with a major with 38 seconds left.

With 11 seconds left, Mitchell heaved the ball in desperation down the field and WR Anthony Parker drew a PI call of his own to set up the Paredes boot.

Next week the Stampeders return home to host the rival Saskatchewan Roughriders while the Ticats try to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium.

REGINA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS completed an exciting comeback to clinch a home playoff berth on Friday night, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the final play of the game for a 33-32 victory at Mosaic Stadium. A one-yard QB sneak touchdown from Ryan Lindley sealed the comeback victory, and with the win Ottawa has now jumped ahead of the Toronto Argonauts to claim first place in the East Division.

The Riders’ passing game was on fire all game long in this one, and Duron Carter set a career high in receiving yards to help Saskatchewan maintain the lead for most of the night. Carter was quite simply unrecoverable, reeling in 11 of 14 targets for an incredible 231 yards. Kevin Glenn threw the ball effectively all game long, finishing with 387 passing yards and two touchdown passes.

Ottawa’s late comeback bid began after a Greg Ellingson touchdown catch brought the score within a single touchdown, and Trevor Harris‘ 262 passing yards and two scores led the way to the crucial Week 17 victory.

The Roughriders struck first and took an early three-point lead thanks to an explosive 52-yard punt return from Christion Jones in the opening minutes. The big return set up a 33-yard field goal from kicker Tyler Crapigna a couple plays later.

Trevor Harris’ first big throw of the game came on a back shoulder pass to receiver Juron Criner for 28 yards, setting Ottawa’s offence up near the Riders’ 30-yard line. The REDBLACKS tied the game up as a result, with kicker Brett Maher knocking through a 38-yard field goal with just under five minutes left in the opening quarter.

Riders quarterback Kevin Glenn moved the ball with efficiency early on through the air, completing nine of his first 10 throws. The veteran passer connected with receiver Caleb Holley for a 16-yard pickup before the end of the quarter, bringing the the Riders’ offence down to Ottawa’s 14-yard line.

Ottawa’s defence stepped up on the next play, however, and linebacker Taylor Reed brought pressure with the blitz to sack Glenn for a loss of eight yards. The Riders were forced to settle for a 21-yard Crapigna field goal to take the 6-3 lead.

The REDBLACKS’ offence gambled on the following drive when they went for it on third down with a Ryan Lindley QB sneak. But Ottawa’s offensive line lost the battle at the line of scrimmage, and the Riders stopped Lindley to force the turnover on downs. The gamble cost Ottawa three points, as the Riders turned the solid field position into a 34-yard field goal to take the 9-3 lead.

Diontae Spencer reeled in a big over-the-shoulder grab for 32-yards on Ottawa’s next drive, securing the ball near the sidelines for his 60th reception of the season. But the REDBLACKS turned the ball over on the next play when Riders linebacker Henoc Muamba picked off a Harris pass for his second interception of the season.

An apparent miscommunication occurred for the Riders’ offence when they attempted to capitalize on the turnover, and Glenn’s throw into the end zone sailed directly into the hands of Ottawa defensive back Jonathan Rose.

The Riders were able to bounce back and break through on offence near the end of the first half, as Glenn threw a deep 38-yard pass to star receiver Duron Carter. Glenn found running back Kienan LaFrance on the next play for the six-yard touchdown strike, helping the Riders take the 16-3 lead. Glenn finished the first half with 177 passing yards and the touchdown.

Harris and the REDBLACKS’ offence came storming down the field after getting the ball back, and their biggest play of the half came when Harris found receiver Dominique Rhymes for 36 yards. Rhymes fought his way up the field for 27 yards after the catch, and the play set up a crucial 12-yard touchdown pass to Spencer on the very next play.

The touchdown catch was Spencer’s sixth of the season, cutting the Riders’ lead down to six points with under a minute left in the first half.

Both team’s rushing attacks were held in check in the first half, with Ottawa gaining 32 yards on the ground and Saskatchewan gaining 31.

Glenn and the Riders picked up right where they left off after the half, as the quarterback found Carter deep down the field once again for a 50-yard strike. The reception put Carter over 100 yards receiving on the night, and moved the ball into scoring territory. The Riders expanded their lead to two scores as a result, with Crapigna kicking his fourth field goal of the game to make it 19-10.

Ottawa responded with a scoring drive of their own, and a combination of Harris passes and rushes from running back William Powell led to a 48-yard field goal from Maher, bringing the REDBLACKS within a touchdown score.

The REDBLACKS continued to establish major momentum on the following drive when Ottawa defensive back Antoine Pruneau made a phenomenal play to pick off a Glenn pass, taking it all the way to the end zone for the 46-yard touchdown. The score was Pruneau’s fourth interception of the season and his first career CFL touchdown, giving Ottawa their first lead of the game at 20-19.

The Riders struck back with Crapigna’s fifth field goal of the game, putting Saskatchewan back on top 22-20. Newly added running back Trent Richardson gained tough yards up the middle for the Riders on the drive, contributing a 15-yard rush to set up the 35-yard field goal.

Carter’s big receiving night continued on Saskatchewan’s next possession when Glenn found his receiver for a 45-yard gain. Carter split two defenders and stretched out for the diving catch. Richardson converted a third down attempt on the ground after taking the direct snap a few plays later, and Glenn capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Holley, putting the Riders up 29-20.

The Riders’ defence quickly got the ball back for their offence, and another big return from Christion Jones helped maintain momentum for Saskatchewan. The Glenn-Carter connection continued to thrive after that for Saskatchewan, and the quarterback connected his with main weapon for another 37 yards on the drive. The drive led to Crapigna’s sixth field goal of the game, giving the Riders the 32-20 lead.

Ottawa rallied back with a touchdown drive near the end of the fourth quarter, and receiver Greg Ellingson made his biggest play on a quiet night with an 11-yard touchdown catch to help bring the score to 32-27 with just over two minutes remaining.

The REDBLACKS got the ball back after stopping Glenn from moving the chains, and Harris the Ottawa offence all the way down the field. The REDBLACKS completed the comeback with a one-yard Lindley rushing touchdown, sealing the 33-32 victory.

The Roughriders will head to Calgary next Friday for Week 18 action against the Stampeders, while the REDBLACKS will have a week off before they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 27.

Road teams continue to dominate in the Canadian Football League, posting a 9-3 SU and 8-4 ATS mark over the past three weekends. After a clean sweep last week it was a split down the middle. Surprisingly, Calgary (13-1-1) had its hands full with Hamilton (4-11), a team which has been rather pesky lately. The Stampeders were able to pull out the 28-25 win at Tim Horton's Stadium, but it took a game-winning field goal at the end of regulation to win it. Hamilton actually held an 18-17 lead with 7:39 to play.

Ottawa (7-9-1) supplanted Toronto (7-9) at the top of the East Division standings by winning their game in Saskatchewan (8-7), 33-32 in the highest-scoring game on the board. The RedBlacks have won back-to-back games, and they have covered three in a row heading into their regular-season finale on Oct. 27 against the Ti-Cats. They'll have two weeks to prepare. The two sides have split the previous two meetings season, with both teams winning on each other's home field.

After a six-week freefall, Edmonton (9-6) has finally pulled the rip cord. They buried Montreal (10-4) last week, now they toppled the Argos by a 30-27 count. While the Esks are playing better over the past two games, averaging 36.0 PPG, they're still just 1-3 ATS over the past four outings, and 2-6 ATS over the past eight.

Team Betting Notes

-- BC Lions (6-9) has had a tale of two seasons, that's for sure. They started out 4-1 SU/3-2 ATS through five games, and they were a respectable 5-2 SU as recently as Aug. 5. However, the Lions have dropped seven of the past eight outings while going 1-7 ATS during the span, falling into the basement of the ultra-competitive West Division.

-- The Stamps haven't covered back-to-back games since a 6-0 ATS run from July 22-Sept. 4. They failed to cover as 9 1/2-point favorites on the road against the Ti-Cats after covering last week against the Alouettes. They'll be looking to bounce back Friday against the Roughriders, a team they just edged 15-9 on Sept. 24 in Regina. They're 2-0/1-0-1 ATS in the two previous meetings this season with the 'under' cashing in both.

-- The Riders had an 'over' result in their narrow loss to the RedBlacks, snapping a four-game 'under' streak. Their 33 points allowed were the second most they have given up in the past 13 games, and third-most points allowed this season. Their 32-point output on offense was the most since a 38-point effort bak on Sept. 3.

-- The Ti-Cats might not be winning many games again, but they're certainly much more competitive. They have alternated wins and losses over the past six outings, but they're an impressive 5-2 ATS over the past seven games after starting out a dismal 2-6 ATS over their first eight showings.

-- The Argos dropped a 30-27 decision in Edmonton, but it was another cover and 'over' result. The under hit in eight of their first 11 games, but the over has hit in four of their past five. Toronto is also an impressive 4-1 ATS over the past five outings after going 3-8 ATS across their first 11 contests.